"A Spotlight And A Microscope": BOE Authorizes Expenditure For Pre-Construction Services At Sandy Hook School

During a special meeting of the Board of Education on Wednesday, April 24, an expenditure of up to $65,000 from the Sandy Hook School Special Revenue Fund was authorized for providing pre-construction services for Sandy Hook School.

Public Building and Site Commission Chair Robert Mitchell explained his board has been dealing with the state’s Department of Construction Services to prepare to accelerate the design phase of the Sandy Hook School site recommendation, which is scheduled to be determined by the Sandy Hook School Task Force in early May.

“Our anticipation at this point is that at the next Board of Selectman meeting, Public Building and Site will become the committee for the project,” said Mr Mitchell, “and we’d be able to start on it immediately at that point.”

Mr Mitchell said his commission would like to be able to go through the process of approving the site and professionals overseeing the project as quickly as possible with the state.

“We want to bring on board a project management firm,” Mr Mitchell said, explaining the firm would at least oversee the pre-construction services or possibly the whole course of the construction project.

The firm, Diversified Project Management, will spearhead project management, he said, and will possibly save between two to three months of the project’s term.

“To bring them in now to do so much upfront work, it’s going to speed this project up,” said Mr Mitchell.

School Board Chair Debbie Leidlein, Vice Chair Laura Roche, and members Keith Alexander and John Vouros were present for the special meeting. They unanimously approved the expenditure after proposing questions to Mr Mitchell and school district Business Manager Ron Bienkowski.

Mr Mitchell said Diversified Project Management understands the Sandy Hook School project will be under both a spotlight and a microscope.

The $65,000 expenditure is expected to be reimbursed under state school construction guidelines.